Page 107 of Scorching Sienna

Make no mistake, Lowrens had tortured many more women than Sienna and the one Gavin found. Guys like this didn’t find their fetish so fully with just one or two victims. It took time and many victims.

Gavin hunches down beside Lowrens and puts a pen in his hand while holding a pad of paper under it. Lowrens struggles to write, with the pen dropping from his hand many times.

When he eventually stops, Gavin hands me the paper, smears of blood, and pen scratch marks, making the words barely legible. Lowrens also seems to be using only some letters to make his point. The effort to write is seen in his spelling.

Kil me, pls. I tel u who els behind this.

I glance at Gavin, and he nods, clearly thinkingthe same thing I am. Lowrens is as good as dead, no matter what. Getting this information from him could be useful. I knew there was someone else, I just needed to figure out who. He might save me a whole lot of effort.

“Okay. Tell me.”

Gavin hands him the pen, and he writes one word.

prmse

“Promise.” I want to laugh at this. I love how he thinks me saying the word guarantees anything. I owe him nothing, especially not mercy. But I will play this little game.

Clearly, he doesn’t know that if he just waited a few more minutes, he would be dead anyway.

“You can take Bobby to get cleaned up and ready for transportation,” I order the guards, watching Bobby swing his arm back and forth, trying to get some of the bodily debris off. He dips his head in my direction, his striking eyes drifting from me to Lowrens before he turns and is escorted out by two of my guards. He has not said one word since being here. He isn’t mute but selectively speaks as and when he feels like it.

Tears of relief run down Lowrens’ face, and he picks up the pen, writing something on the paper.

Brt Smpsn

Bright Simpson. The same name Rodger had given me and the person looking into Sienna’s case files. While this wasn’t new information, it confirmed that this person was the other player in this game—the one who had funded this freak show and almost saw my rainbow in this same position.

I nod and then stand up, pocketing the note.

Lowrens gurgles as he tries to talk, his eyes pleading with me.

I take out my gun, bending down so that he can see me.

Then I cock it and hold it against his head, pushing the muzzleagainst his flesh in the same spot and on the same side of his temple where he had held my light at gunpoint.

“Do you remember what you said to her?”

Lowrens blinks twice, which I assume means no. I remember how steady his hand was as he held the gun against Sienna's head, as if threatening my girl's life was easy. The tremble that racks his body and the opposite of his steadiness that night makes me happy. Now he knows her terror. Now, he knows how personal having a gun held to one's head by another can be.

“I’m going to remove my hand. If you scream, I will shoot you. Understand.”

“That’s what you said to her. I will offer you that same deal now.” His eyes widen as more tears stream down, as many as Sienna cried over him.

I lift my eyebrows, looking at him expectantly. He couldn’t scream now to save his life. Or end it.

His mouth opens and closes like a fish, but beyond a strangled gurgle, nothing comes out.

“Not even a little scream?” I taunt, shaking my head in disappointment.

“Well, then. There is nothing I can do.”

I uncock my gun and stand up, giving him one last look before I leave. His death will come momentarily, and while it might be quick, it will be painful.

“Burn everything when it is done. Including him,” I instruct my guards as Gavin and I leave.

Relief floods me, as does the fresh air in the warehouse, though the stench of what has happened in the container might take a while to forget.

“If you don’t need me, then I’ll see you atSin?” Gavin asks as weexit the warehouse.

---